Theatre Advances To Regional Competition

The Sam Houston State University theatre department was one of only seven schools selected from more than 50 to perform its production of "Not About Nightingales" at the Region VI Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Fayetteville, Ark., in February 2004.

The company of 35 students and five faculty and staff members received nine major awards at the Texas IV Festival, hosted by the University of Texas at Tyler, on Nov. 8, including Respondent’s Choice for Best Show, Director’s’ Choice for Best Show, Excellence in Directing—Patrick Pearson, Excellence in Costume Design—Tracy Crowston, Excellence in Lobby Display/Dramaturgy—Tara Mininger and Excellence in Overall Production Design Concept—Patrick Pearson, Don Childs, Tracy Crowston and Aaron Elfstrom.

Actors Spencer Plachy, Danial Colosky and Matt Thompkins all received Irene Ryan Acting Award Nominations for their performances.

SHSU’s two associate entries in KCACTF," Anything Goes" and "Spring Awakening," received four Irene Ryan Acting Award nominations, with students Andrea Haring and David Kenner nominated for "Spring Awakening" and Haley Dyes and Heather Scheffel for "Anything Goes."

This marks the third year in a row that one or more productions by the theatre department have advanced to the Region VI KCACTF festival level.

Last year, SHSU made Region VI history by becoming the first school ever to have two full-length productions, "The Laramie Project" and "Rich, Red Clay," invited to the regional festival in the same year. "The Laramie Project," directed by faculty member Penny Hasekoester, was selected as one of only four in the nation to perform at the Kennedy Center.

The Irene Ryan Acting Competition is a nation-wide contest in which thousands of students perform each year. In the competition, nominees must present a monologue, as well as a duet with another student. Many scholarships, fellowships and internships are available to the 16 students advance to this level of competition.

A National Selection Committee will attend each of the eight regional festivals throughout January and February and, following the final regional festival, will pick four to six shows to advance to the Kennedy Center, where they will perform in mid-April.

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SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt
Dec. 16, 2003
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